May 1 means different things in different parts of the world, but here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it means Lei Day, a statewide celebration of Hawaiian culture and the spirit of "aloha," that intangible sense of warmth, belonging, and connection that emanates from this isolated chain of volcanic islands. Lei Day was first celebrated in 1927 and made an official holiday in 1929. It also happens to fall on the first day of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which honors Americans of Asian, Melanesian, Micronesian, and Polynesian heritage. May is the month the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the US in 1843, and the month the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869 by, mostly, Chinese immigrants.
AAPI Heritage Month & Lei Day
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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World Bamboo Day
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Christmas Eve
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Green is the new black
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Happy Arbor Day!
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Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships
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The birthplace of Cinco de Mayo
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Vacuum Chamber 5 at Glenn Research Center
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Fox kits
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Do spirits haunt the Gardens of Versailles?
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Italy s submerged village
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Happy trails for the 21st century
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Diamond Beach, Iceland
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Churún Merú waterfall in Venezuela
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Cinco de Mayo
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It s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
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Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
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Winter in the Wild West
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A ‘city’ within Valencia
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Happy birthday to Crater Lake National Park
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Weaverbird nests at Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve
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It’s Canada’s national day
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Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia
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Iceberg off the coast of Antarctica
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New Year s Eve
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Twas a night just like tonight
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The power of the forest
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An uncommon look at an American icon
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Nature Photography Day
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International Lighthouse Weekend
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The artists come to Venice